Fountain applicator



Aug. 27, 1940.

E. c. DElTRlH E1- Al. 2,212,513

FOUNTAIN APPLICATOR Filed Sept. 23. 1938 jm/y melf/@'05 d; l

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ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 27, 1940 lA'l'EN OFFIC FOUNTAIN APPLICATR Epily C. Deitrich and Dalias V. Lisle, Pittsburgh, Pa.

Application September 23, 1938, Serial No. 231,444

2 Claims.

This invention relates to fountain applicators, and its general object is to provide an applicator that is primarily designed for detachable connection with the mouth of a bottle of liquid shoe dressing for closing the same and for direct application of the contents of the bottle to shoes and other objects to be cleaned and dressed, in that the applicator includes a dauber and valve means for controlling the passage of the contents to the dauber in accordance with the pressure of the dauber against the shoe, so that the contents can be applied to the dauber in sumcient quantities to maintain the same properly saturated during use, but without possibility of waste.

Another object is to provide a fountain applicator in the form of an attachment that can be readily applied and removed with respect to the mouth of bottles of a type now generally S0 used for liquid shoe dressing and particularly that for white shoes, and the device is held on the neck of the bottle against any possibility of leakage, casual removal or displacement.

A further object is to provide an applicator 25 that includes means cooperating with the dauber for spreading the liquid evenly throughout the entire surface of the shoe upper, in that the spreader is shaped for disposal in cracks and crevices and at the juncture of the upper with l0 the sole, so that the application of the dressing to the sole is reduced to a minimum, with the result it will be seen that our device can be used on the usual two tone shoes, such as black and white for applying the white dressing thereto,

85 without fear of getting the dressing on the soles and black portions of the leather.

Another object is to provide an applicator that also includes bung and scraping meansv for cleaning dirt and other foreign matter from the shoes, ,as well as for raising the nap from suede,

buckskin and like shoes.

An important object is to provide a combined device of the character set forth, that is primarily designed for use on white shoes of any type of leather, cloth or other material, and is capable of maintaining the same in a clean and proper condition, with minimum effort on the part of the user.

A still further object is to provide an appli- 50 cator and shoe cleaning device, that is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, and extremely efficient in operation, use and service.

This invention also consists in certain other features of construction and in the combination Il and arrangement of the several parts, to be hereinafter fully described, iilustrated'in the accompanying drawing and specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

In describing the invention in detail, reference vwill be had to the accompanying drawing where 5 in like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view taken through the device which forms the subject matter of the present invention, and illustrates the 10 samexapplied to the 'neck of a bottle.'

Figure 2 is an end view thereof.

Figure 3 is a view of the opposite end.

Figure 4 is a top plan view with the dauber removed.

Figure 5 is a bottom plan view.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the letter A indicates a bottle of a type now generally used for White shoe dressing, and the neck of the bottle has formed therewith ,an annular flange B and a segmental thread C. While we have illustrated our4 applicator as being associated with a bottle of a particular type, we want it understood that it can be applied to the neck of any type of bottle, without departing from the spirit @s of the invention.

The applicator in the form as shown, includes a substantially rectangular body i preferably formed from relatively soft iiexible rubber, having an annular groove 2 extending in the lower surface thereof and an outlet bore 3 concentrically arranged with respect to the groove, to provide a depending skirt d, the groove having extending therein and formed on the outer wall thereof a flange 5 to be threaded on the thread 35 C for disposal between the latter and the liange B, for detachably securing the device to the neck of the bottle, and with the skirt within the neck, as clearly shown in Figure 1.

Ihe outlet end of the bore 3 is outwardly flared m as at 6 to provide an annular seat for a. diaphragm type valve 7 which closes the outlet end and is slit transversely as at 8 to provide outlet means for the contents of the bottle, in a manner which will be presently apparent. The valve is shown as being integral with the body and arranged in the fiat upper surface of the latter is a circular recess within which is mounted the reduced portion of a dauber 9. The dauber which is preferably formed from sponge rubber is adhesively or otherwise secured within the recess, and is formed to include a truncated conical outer portion, providing a at upper surface I0 and an inwardly flared outer side wall. 55

for use in applying the dressing to the shoe, as will be apparent. The inner portion of the lauber is shaped to t the recess, and is sllt transversely as at II. with the slit II in registration with the slit 8 of the disk shaped strip of rubber that provides the diaphragm valve 1.

From the foregoing, it is believed that it will be obvious that our applicator is threadedly mounted on the bottle, as shown in Figure 1, and in use, the bottle is inverted for disposing the contents thereof against the valve; The dauber is then applied to the shoe, and it will be apparent that inward pressure upon the dauberI will cause the valve to move inwardly within the bore and thereby operi the slit in the valve, as well as in the dauber so that the latter will become saturated with the contents of thebottle. When the pressure is relieved, the `slits will be closed, with the result it will be seen that the passage of the bottle contents to the dauber will be under the constant control of the user at all times, thereby eliminating waste but maintaining the dauber properly saturated, for ready application of the contents to the shoe.

It will be further obvious that the dauber is not only used for applying the dressing to the shoe, but can be used for spreading the same, but in order to facilitate the spreading of the dressing, we provide a spreader for cooperation with the dauber, and for that purpose one end of the body is recessed, and'mounted and adhesively'secured in the recess is a block I2 of sponge rubber that extends beyond the recess in outwardly flared formation to provide with the flat outer surface. a beveled edge I3 vfor use in applying the dressing in cracks and crevices, and at the juncture of different colored leathers on two tone shoes, as well as in close proximity to the sole or at the juncture of the latter with the upper.

The opposite end of the body is preferably enlarged as at I4 and the outer face of the enlarged portion isy nat and grooved to provide serrations I5 which can be used for removing dirty and foreign matter from the shoes, as well as for builing or raising the nap on suede, buckskin and other like shoes. However, there is secured to the opposite sides of the body, strips I6 of pile fabric that can likewise be used for cleaning the leather, as well as for raising the nap on rough leather.

While it has been stated that the applicator is threadedly secured to the neck of the bottle it may be attached thereto by any suitable means, or snapped on and off the neck, as will be apparent, and the groove 2 may be of sufllcient depth for the flange i tobe forced over the flange B for disposal on the inner side of the latter, but regardless of the means employed for securing the device to the neck, such means will allow for easy and expeditious application and removal thereof.

and without possibility of casual removal or displacement. It might be further mentioned that any part of the device may be made from any material suitf able for the purpose, for example, the dauber 9 does not necessarily have to be made from sponge rubber, as natural sponge may be used for that purpose, and the spreader I2 may be made from felt, but in practice it has been found that sponge rubber is very satisfactory for the parts mentioned.

From the above description and disclosure of the drawing, it will be obvious that we have provided a device that is capable of maintaining shoes and particularly white shoes and the white portions ot two tone shoes in a clean and proper condition, with minimum eflort on the part of the user, in that the shoes can be readily cleaned, thence the dressing can be applied and spread thereon evenly, so as to eliminate streaks or the like. Stain if any can be removed by rubbing the same with the spreade and after the dressing has been evenly spread, the nap of the leather can then be raised, so as to give a new appearance to the shoe.

It is thought from the foregoing description that `the advantages and novel features of the invention will be readily apparent.

It is to be understood that changes may be made in the construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, provided that such changes fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What we claim is:

1. In a liquid shoe dressing bottle attachmen including a centrally bored body, means within the bore for detachably securing the body to the neck of the bottle for the passage of the contents of the bottle through the bore, applicator means comprising a dauber on the body in the path of the contents and including a truncated conical portion providing a ilat outer shoe engaging face, a slit diaphragm valve within the body at the outlet end of the bore for controlling the passage of the contents to the dauber and being normally flat for holding the slit closed, and said valve being arranged with respect to the dauber to be inwardly bulged when inward pressure is applied to the outer face of the dauber to open the slit for the passage of the contents to the dauber.

2. A fountain applicator attachment for a liquid shoe dressing bottle, comprising a resilient rubber body having an annular groove therein to receive the neck of the bottle and an outlet bore concentrically arranged with `respect to the groove to provide a skirt to be received in the neck for cooperation with the grove for detachably securing the body to the neck for the passage of the contents of the bottle through the bore. a dauber on the body at the outlet end of the bore for disposal in the path of the contents and including a truncated conical outer portion providing a at outer shoe engaging face, a slit rubber diaphragm valve formed on the'body at the outlet end of the bore for controlling the passage of the contents to the dauber and being normally flat for holding the slit closed, said' valve being arranged with respect to the dauber to be inwardly bulged when inward pressure is applied to the louter face of the dauber to open the slit for the passage of the contents to the dauber, said bore being outwardly flared at its outer end portion to provide a conical seat for receiving the Valve when the latter is in open position, and said dauber having a slit therein registering with the slit of the valve.

EPILY C. DEI'I'RICH. DALLAS V. LISLE. 

